Saint Petersburg

Tovstonogov Academic Bolshoi Drama Theatre

since 1992

Over the years the theatre has had the following names: 1918–1931 – Bolshoi Drama Theatre 1932–1963 – Gorky Bolshoi Drama Theatre 1964–1991 – Gorky Academic Bolshoi Drama Theatre Since 1992 – Tovstonogov Academic Bolshoi Drama Theatre In 1992, the theatre was renamed in honor of Georgy Tovstonogov, the eminent director who led the BDT from 1956 until his death in 1989. In the post-Soviet era, the BDT has maintained its status as one of Russia’s premier drama theatres, balancing its classical repertoire with explorations of a contemporary theatrical language. Following Tovstonogov’s death, the theatre was led by Kirill Lavrov. Temur Chkheidze served as chief director from 2004 to 2013. From 2013 to 2023, the artistic director was Andrey Moguchy, who continued to develop the theatre through the lens of modern directing while honoring its classical legacy. Among his notable productions are “Alice” starring Alisa Freindlikh (2013), “What Is to Be Done?” based on the novel by Nikolay Chernyshevsky (2014), and “The Drunks” based on the play by Ivan Vyrypaev (2015). Currently, the theatre is managed by executive director Tatyana Arkhipova. The BDT actively participates in international festivals and collaborates with leading directors and designers. The online collection of the Bakhrushin Theatre Museum includes posters, playbills, and design sketches related to the BDT’s productions from 1992 to the present day.